Hollywood star Alec Baldwin has pleaded “not guilty” to the charge of involuntary manslaughter in the Rust shooting case.
His attorneys filed the plea in a New Mexico court on Thursday. As a result, the actor will no longer need to appear at a hearing that was scheduled for Friday.
The court has ruled that Alec Baldwin cannot consume alcohol or possess firearms or dangerous weapons while awaiting trial. He also must maintain contact with his attorney and obey all “federal, state, tribal, local laws, statutes and ordinances.”
Baldwin is facing a maximum of 18 months in jail if found guilty for the death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was killed when the gun in Baldwin’s hand was discharged during production in October 2021. The actor’s case could go to trial or his attorneys could still work out a plea deal with prosecutors to spare their client the media circus that would almost certainly accompany a court appearance.
As Breitbart News reported, Baldwin is no longer facing the prospect of spending five years in jail after prosecutors in New Mexico downgraded the charges against him Friday. Prosecutors removed the weapons enhancement charge against him — which carried a maximum sentence of five years — after the actor’s lawyers successfully argued that the applicable law went into effect after the on-set shooting accident.
Rust is reportedly set to re-commence shooting in Montana some time in the spring, with Baldwin returning to the production.
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